Culinary arts program hosts Cardinals on the Run

Want to eat like a king or queen from the comfort of campus? Looking for something nutritious and delicious for lunch on the go? The Lamar University College of Education and Human Development is excited to introduce Cardinals on the Run, sponsored by NHHS Hospitality and Culinary Arts.

Held 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday from Feb. 21-April 20, this culinary arts program offers an array of decadent choices from a rotating menu, all to benefit Lamar University students.

“Cardinals on the Run serves as an educational experience for students taking Restaurant Applications,” said chef and clinical instructor Charles Duit. “It is a class where students create, produce a grocery list and recipes, cost, sale and short-order cook their own menus.”

At only $8 a plate, the public can help support the program and allow students to experience the inner workings of a restaurant.

“Since we do not have a student-run restaurant on campus, Cardinals on the Run is the next best thing for students to benefit from taking just an idea through each phase of dreaming, creating, production and execution of their own restaurant,” Duit said, noting that the cost covers the food, a glass of iced tea and a reusable microwavable container (as some individuals purchase the meals to be reheated for dinner). “What little of the proceeds made go to purchasing food products for other cooking classes.”

On Mondays and Wednesdays from Feb. 23-March 2, the menu features a flank steak sandwich, super Italian chopped salad and shrimp etouffee. The second menu, running from March 7-23, includes a Texas Philly sandwich, warm shrimp salad and grilled citrus chicken breast. From March 28 to April 6, menu three options are a Greek pork pita sandwich, loaded BBQ chicken salad and lemon shrimp with parmesan rice. Finally, the fourth menu from April 11-20 features a turkey club sandwich, cilantro lime chicken southwest salad and honey garlic salmon.

Limited orders are available, yet every plate provides something invaluable to the students crafting and executing these dishes, said Duit.

“These are real life experiences that are invaluable and costly. Exposure to many things that make up a restaurant includes being able to step into any position, including the chef’s,” he said. “Most of our students want to own their own business — what better way to learn than in an educational situation where today’s mistakes are tomorrow’s lessons?”

A limited number of meals are available to students, faculty and staff by purchasing them online from the LU Marketplace or by visiting www.lamar.edu/ontherun. Meals can be picked up Monday - Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Hospitality and Human Services building, room 104.